$1 billion in record time: OpenAI opens ChatGPT Ads to everyone
ChatGPT Ads launched in Europe two weeks ago—and now OpenAI is taking it to the next level. With the new self-service Ads Manager, the platform is now also open to small and medium-sized businesses and startups. At the same time, the advertising business has surpassed the $1 billion ARR mark in record time.
What In mid-August, with a rollout in 31 European markets announced, is rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing advertising formats in digital history. While access was previously reserved primarily for global brands and major agency groups such as Publicis, WPP, Omnicom, and Dentsu, the Beta Ads Manager is now also available to startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Europe, India, the Middle East, and North Africa. With this move, ChatGPT Ads is finally transitioning from an exclusive pilot project to a widely accessible performance channel.
From Agency Privilege to a Democratized Advertising Market
Opening up self-service capabilities is the logical and decisive step for scaling OpenAI's business model. Much like with Google Ads and Meta Ads in the past, it is often the small and medium-sized advertisers who, collectively, ensure sustained liquidity and auction density in the system.
The fact that the milestone of $1 billion in ARR was reached in under 200 days underscores the advertising industry’s enormous demand for alternatives to traditional search and social channels. Dave Dugan, VP of Global Ad Solutions at OpenAI, puts this achievement into strategic context:
„We’re at the beginning of a new chapter for advertising, with AI creating entirely new ways for businesses and people to discover one another. Reaching $1 billion in ARR in under 200 days demonstrates the scale of the opportunity ahead. Expanding self-service access across European markets opens up that opportunity to businesses of every size—from startups launching their first campaign to global brands seeking new ways to grow.“
With over a billion weekly active users worldwide, ChatGPT's free model provides the necessary reach, while the subscription plans (Plus, Pro, Enterprise) remain completely ad-free.
Performance Marketing Instead of a Testing Ground
The latest figures also show that the channel is rapidly shifting from pure branding budgets to hard performance metrics. According to OpenAI, cost-per-click (CPC) and results-optimized bidding strategies now account for the majority of campaigns.
The technical infrastructure has also been significantly expanded since the launch:
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Measurement & Tracking: With over 50 technology and measurement partners, a server-side Conversions API, and the OpenAI Measurement Pixel, the setup is based on established industry standards.
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Advanced Control: In addition to geographic targeting, product feeds and custom audiences are available.
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Initial performance data: According to OpenAI case studies, one e-commerce client achieved a threefold return on ad spend (ROAS) within 28 days; technology partners report that over 80 percent of traffic generated via ChatGPT consists of new customers.
Relevance continues to stem from the situational context: The system draws on the conversation history to display specific, useful suggestions at the moment a decision is being made—rather than waiting until a rigid keyword query is typed.
The core promise remains the litmus test
However, as self-service campaigns become widely available, pressure on quality assurance and trust is also increasing. OpenAI therefore reaffirms its core guidelines:
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Strict separation: Ads are clearly labeled as such and do not influence ChatGPT's algorithmic responses in any way.
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Privacy: Advertisers do not have access to individual conversation histories or personal data.
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User Control: Users retain control over how and to what extent their data is used for personalization.
It is precisely in the European market, with its strict regulatory requirements, that we will see how well the automated ad approval process works. After all, the value of the platform stands or falls on the credibility of the answers it provides.
The pressure on Google is mounting
With its rapid scaling to $1 billion in ARR and the global launch of its self-service tool, OpenAI is proving that conversational advertising is not just a niche phenomenon. While Google continues to expand its AI Overviews and conversational formats, OpenAI is making its mark on the revenue side.
For marketing professionals, this step means the wait is over. With the Self-Service Ads Manager now available in Switzerland and Europe, ChatGPT Ads has become part of the operational marketing mix—not as a replacement for existing channels, but as a new, high-performing touchpoint directly within the decision-making process.
